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Wirtschaftspolitik und Psychologie: Zum Forschungsprogramm der Behavioral Economics / Psychology and economic policy

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  • Beck Hanno

Abstract

The new discipline of behavioral economics relies on psychological findings that humans show systematic deviations from rationality − they act altruistically and are concerned about fairness, they behave in a time-inconsistent manner and they don`t have an unlimited capacity for information processing and storage. Based on these findings - the most important ones being described in this paper −, psychologists propose new ideas for politics in various fields: social policy, regulation of financial markets, finance, tax policy, volunteering, promoting reforms and consumer protection − all these fields may benefit from the insights of the new discipline of behavioral economics. The most important application in this field is the idea of a liberal paternalism: In contrast to traditional heavy-handed approaches to paternalism, liberal paternalism aims to improve individual choice without restricting it by making use of some of those behavioral biases. This policy seems to be very smart; nonetheless it brings several problems with it which are being addressed in this paper.

Suggested Citation

  • Beck Hanno, 2009. "Wirtschaftspolitik und Psychologie: Zum Forschungsprogramm der Behavioral Economics / Psychology and economic policy," ORDO. Jahrbuch für die Ordnung von Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft, De Gruyter, vol. 60(1), pages 119-152, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:bpj:ordojb:v:60:y:2009:i:1:p:119-152:n:8
    DOI: 10.1515/ordo-2009-0108
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Richard H. Thaler & Shlomo Benartzi, 2004. "Save More Tomorrow (TM): Using Behavioral Economics to Increase Employee Saving," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 112(S1), pages 164-187, February.
    2. Ariel Rubinstein, 2003. ""Economics and Psychology"? The Case of Hyperbolic Discounting," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 44(4), pages 1207-1216, November.
    3. Richard H. Thaler & Cass R. Sunstein, 2023. "Libertarian paternalism," Chapters, in: Cass R. Sunstein & Lucia A. Reisch (ed.), Research Handbook on Nudges and Society, chapter 1, pages 10-16, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    4. Thaler, Richard, 1981. "Some empirical evidence on dynamic inconsistency," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 8(3), pages 201-207.
    5. Read, Daniel, 2001. "Is Time-Discounting Hyperbolic or Subadditive?," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 5-32, July.
    6. Chris Starmer, 2000. "Developments in Non-expected Utility Theory: The Hunt for a Descriptive Theory of Choice under Risk," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 38(2), pages 332-382, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Groß Steffen W., 2011. "Vom »Gesetz« zur »Form« Überlegungen zum epistemischen und methodologischen Status der Volkswirtschaftslehre / From »Law« to »Form«. Considerations about the epistemic and methodological status of eco," ORDO. Jahrbuch für die Ordnung von Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft, De Gruyter, vol. 62(1), pages 405-424, January.
    2. Beck Hanno & Wentzel Dirk, 2011. "Ordnungspolitische Überlegungen zu einer Insolvenzordnung für Staaten / Principles for an Insolvency Code for States," ORDO. Jahrbuch für die Ordnung von Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft, De Gruyter, vol. 62(1), pages 71-100, January.

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